Once Chandigarh’s biggest slum colony, now set to be a city forest with elevated trails, bird-watching spaces

Chandigarh's former largest slum colony, known as Colony No. 4, is set to transform into a city forest featuring elevated trails, bird-watching platforms, and spaces for environmental learning. The transformation began after an eviction drive in May 2022, which removed unauthorized structures from the 35-acre site near Industrial Area Phase-I and the railway station. The Chandigarh Administration plans to inaugurate the city forest by June 2027.

Following the eviction, the Forest Department faced a severely disturbed landscape with scattered C&D waste, compacted soil, damaged drainage, and lost vegetation. To address these issues, the department initiated ecological restoration efforts, including fencing, waste removal, land profile restoration, and plantation. The plantation has achieved a 98% survival rate, and two water bodies have been created to enhance ecological diversity and serve as rainwater harvesting and moisture-retention structures.

Key features of the future city forest include an elevated nature trail, offering a unique perspective of the forest canopy, and a fire watchtower for forest protection. The project also aims to create an observation deck, a bird-watching platform, a nature maze for experiential learning, a Nature Interpretation Centre, and an open-air theatre for environmental awareness programmes.

Visitor facilities such as a bamboo cafeteria, gazebos, meditation huts, and rain shelters will be designed to complement the natural surroundings.